BEIJING, Feb. 22 (Xinhua) -- China's daily number of newly cured and discharged novel coronavirus patients has surpassed that of new confirmed infections for the fourth consecutive day, according to the National Health Commission Saturday.

Friday saw 2,393 people walk out of hospital after recovery, much higher than the number of the same day's new confirmed infections, which was 397, showed figures from the commission.

A total of 20,659 patients infected with the novel coronavirus had been discharged from hospital after recovery by the end of Friday, according to the commission.

Friday marked the third consecutive day that China's daily number of new infections remained under 1,000.

The newly recovered coronavirus patients in both Hubei Province and its capital city of Wuhan outnumbered new infections Friday, according to the figures.  ■